by Krystine Keeler

This past February, the Food Bank began a partnership with CUNY Prep — a New York City transitional high school that offers out-of-school youth an opportunity for full-time study for the purposes of re-entering high school or qualifying for admission to college by obtaining a GED. At the school, Science Teacher & Assistant to the Director for Green Education & Initiatives Edwin Alexander spends much of his time running an internship program, the purpose of which is to help CUNY Prep students enter the work force. This is where the Food Bank comes in.

Bianca Rodriguez, Student, CUNY Prep “I’m doing a volunteer internship at the Community Kitchen. Serving food here, I’ve learned to be more grateful for everything I have. It’s my first work experience too!”

By placing CUNY Prep interns at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem, students are able to experience an environment where they can learn skills and habits that they will be able to take out into the working world. Securing a good career is part of the CUNY Prep mission, the internship program is a step in that direction.

To learn more about this great school and internship program, here is a short interview with Edwin Alexander:

What do you hope your interns will learn through their experiences at the Community Kitchen?
Our interns will learn to develop a positive work ethic and adhere to the principals which are present and ever so important to possess in the work place.

This is the second time you have had interns placed at the Community Kitchen. What were some of the reasons you chose to maintain your relationship with us?
The professionalism of the entire staff, the wonderful experiences in which my students have shared with me about the Food Bank For New York City and the constant conversations Ms. Keeler and I shared in regards to my interns’ work ethics, time sheets and professional opportunities.

What have your interns communicated to you about their Community Kitchen experiences that you believe they may not have gained had they not been interning?
My interns have communicated to me that they gained a better sense of self and appreciation for what they possess. Furthermore, they expressed how great it feels to work in the pantry and kitchen.

Part of your wish for your interns is that they learn to value and respect employment, with all of the risks and rewards inherent to having a job. Do you believe that they are learning to value employment and become responsible employees?
Yes, I do. I do also believe that they need more training and workshops on my end, which would stress the importance of a healthy work environment and positive work ethics. Furthermore, I believe that students need to continue to develop and work on being better employees.

by Ivory Smith

I am from Baltimore County, Maryland, so completing my internship in New York City was a big deal for me. I attend a small liberal arts college there. Here at the Food Bank, I am the Communications & Marketing Intern for the Marketing & Communications Department in the Downtown Manhattan office.

Hoda Kodb (NBC Today Show) at the Target Party for Good

Next May, I will be graduating with a degree in Visual Communications Design. Since starting college in 2007, I have been studying graphic design and I feel as though I have not had the opportunity to explore the communications side of my degree as in depth as the graphic design part, and I feel it is important for me to venture out and explore different career paths. When thinking about where to do my internship, I knew a few things: I wanted to be at a nonprofit working for a political or social cause, it had to be in New York City and, finally, it had to be in marketing or public relations.

Food Bank for New York City offered everything on my list — including a marketing and public relations experience. Ultimately, I chose the Food Bank because it exists to make a difference in the lives of others. Surely I could have spent my summer back home working in a coffee shop, but to make a difference and be a part of an important initiative —fighting hunger — was an opportunity I didn’t want to turn down. I do not know exactly what I will end up doing after graduation, but I know that I want to help people, and I am starting here.

I began my internship June 7 and have experienced a lot since. I have made updates to the website, fought with copy machines, logged media placements, organized the photo archive, posted blogs and more. I had the opportunity to be a part of the Target Party for Good and the NYC Food Film Festival. I also had a chance to visit the warehouse in Hunts Point, Bronx and volunteer at the Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem. The great thing about being an intern here is that I was able to experience everything.

Since being here, I have really gotten a feel for what it is like working for a nonprofit organization. I have learned a lot about marketing, public relations and communications, and have built an understanding of the role the media plays in all of these areas. Most importantly, I was able to join the fight to stop hunger. My time at the Food Bank will help me make decisions as I go through my final semesters at Stevenson University. Hopefully I will be able to take the knowledge I have gained and use it towards the rest of my time in school and my future career. I will not soon forget my many experiences here and all the wonderful people I have met.

Read more about my experience at the Food Bank and find more photos on my personal blog!

If you are interested in interning at the Food Bank, contact us today!
 

From top: One of two areas where attendees packed meals; volunteers in action (some attendees packed three to five boxes each!); one of many warehouse-themed decorations at the party.

On June 28, the Food Bank For New York City had the pleasure of participating in and benefiting from Target’s “Party for Good,” an exciting event that was held at an undeveloped warehouse on the East River. The party was in honor of the attendees, facilitators and supporters of the National Conference of Volunteering and Services, where leaders in the volunteering and service world met for three days to share best practices and participate in informative workshops.

Not only did Target throw a terrific party for the “volunteer coordinators of the world,” but they also included a HUGE volunteer activity that night! Partying and volunteering – is there any other better combination?

Party attendees packaged 150,000 meals that were distributed to children and families at  the Food Bank’s member soup kitchens and food pantries across the five boroughs. Who knew that a party could be so good while doing so much good?

Watch this video to see what the warehouse looked like before and after Target decorated it, along with some clips of the party in action.

Thank you to Target for hosting such a brilliant event, and to everyone who attended!

From top: Dr. Lucy Cabrera presents Susan Ungaro,  President of the James Beard Foundation, with an award for their longtime support; Chef Seamus Mullen of Boqueria in action in the James Beard Foundation kitchen during the event.

Food Bank For New York City is incredibly fortunate to have so many wonderful and dedicated supporters. We thank all of our supporters for making a difference, and the continued success and growth of the Food Bank is a constant reminder of the impact of all of your efforts. Despite the economic strain that many are feeling, supporters like you continue to find ways to show their dedication to ending hunger in the five boroughs — whether through donations, volunteering or spreading the word, your support makes a real difference in the lives of New Yorkers in need.

One of our most noteworthy opportunities to recognize our donors’ immeasurable contributions is our annual Toast & Jam celebration. It provides a time to formally thank our Liberty Partners and longtime supporters. It was a beautiful evening, which featured the true charm of the James Beard House — the host for nine years running — as guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Seamus Mullen of Boqueria (another supporter that is always available to lend a hand).

Of course, a Food Bank event would not be complete without some splashes of orange. The signature color was incorporated through orange ribbons worn by supporters who have been giving to the Food Bank for more than 20 years. Their longtime commitment to fighting hunger is truly commendable and is crucial to the Food Bank’s ability to provide food assistance to the five boroughs.

At the evening’s close, Dr. Lucy Cabrera took a moment to thank all of the attendees for their commitment to the Food Bank. Furthermore, for the first time in the history of Toast & Jam, Dr. Cabrera presented an award to the James Beard Foundation, who has also been a longtime partner in the fight against hunger. At the conclusion of the presentation, everyone joined in a toast to the continued success of the Food Bank and the kindness of its donors. I would also like to give a special thanks to our sponsors who helped make it possible: FedEx, Stella Artois, illycaffè, Acqua Panna/San Pellegrino and Southern Wines and Spirits.

And last, but definitely not least, a toast to all of you!

by David Grossnickle

photo courtesy of the New Fulton Fish Market

The New Fulton Fish Market Cooperative houses 37 seafood wholesale businesses at its site at the Hunt’s Point Terminal Market in the Bronx. The largest wholesale seafood market in the country, worldwide the New Fulton Fish Market is second only to the Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, Japan. And many of their seafood wholesalers are regular food donors to the Food Bank.

Walking through the market can be described only as an amazing tour of seafood from the eastern seaboard, and the world. There are common varieties such as herring, flounder and striped bass that are plentiful. But less-known varieties such as Spanish mackerel, sturgeon and cuttlefish are also in regular supply.

The health benefits of eating fresh seafood are well documented. Fresh seafood is nutrient-rich and provides a high-quality source of protein in the diet. Since fish is naturally low in fat but rich in omega-3 fatty acids or heart healthy fats, the American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of seafood per week. All of the seafood wholesalers at the New Fulton Fish Market, especially Blue Ribbon Fish Company, Carl’s Seafood, GC Dino’s Seafood, Fair Fish Company and Joe Monani Fish Company help the Food Bank distribute their donations directly to members of our food assistance network — helping to ensure that New Yorkers in need are able to enjoy both the taste and health benefits of fresh seafood.

Next time you eat seafood, remember the market and all that they do to help hungry New Yorkers — because, with millions of pounds of fresh seafood moving through the market every day, there is a very good chance the seafood you‘re eating came from the New Fulton Fish Market. Thank you to the wholesalers and the New Fulton Fish Market for providing a wonderful source of seafood to our network!

by Deanna Michalopolous

It’s clear that something must be done about the state of child nutrition in our country. New York State’s Department of Health notes that many diseases that were previously associated only with adulthood (type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer, to name a few) are now being seen in overweight and obese children. The United States military recently said that child nutrition is even a matter of national security: a new report shows that more than quarter of all Americans ages 17 to 24 are too overweight to join its ranks.

But things are looking up in Miss P.’s lively classroom. Students were so excited during their Lettuce Explorer lesson, you’d have thought I’d promised them puppies for trying the crunchy greens. It’s funny that literally getting their hands on three types of the vitamin-packed leaves created such anticipation to scarf it down — and in large quantities. I’m thinking parents need to revisit their rules on “playing with food” if they want their kids to eat more veggies. How’s that for nutrition policy?

But in the meantime, I was hoping all the enthusiasm from the Lettuce Explorer lesson would translate into the corresponding cooking class. When I arrive in the classroom, I first play sous chef by slicing carrots and apples so students can easily cut them into smaller pieces for the salad they’re about to make. Miss P will supervise the students that dice the carrots and apples, while I help the kids who are ripping lettuce leaves into our massive salad bowl. I’ve got three types of lettuce again — iceberg, red leaf and romaine — so I hand out a few leaves to each of the students at a time, taking a few moments to explain that bite-size pieces will be easier to chew.

“I want to eat some soo badly!” a boy says. (Parents, take note: Let the kids help you cook and they’ll literally beg you to eat veggies!) After I remind them that it’s not polite to eat until everyone has a completed dish, I turn to my left and see a girl chewing and looking a bit guilty.

When it’s time to make the dressing, the class circles around a table and Miss P. lets me take over. I’m eager to see how they’ll like this salad because we’re going to splash a very grown-up dressing onto it — one that happens to be my favorite at home. Each student lends a hand to squeeze a few lemons and measure 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper, ½ cup olive oil and 1 tsp. oregano and garlic powder into the bowl. Garlic powder—I’d have thought it was too pungent for the kids, but I’m excited to have them try it. (At home I mince 1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, depending on whether I have to talk to people afterward.)

A few children get a turn tossing the salad before the class is sent to their seats for mealtime. I scoop the salad into more than two dozen bowls while one girl passes out sporks and napkins and Miss P. pours apple juice. Once everyone had a dish, it was time for the countdown: “One … two … three … TASTE!”

I can hear the kids considering before a hum of mmms sound throughout the room. Most of them like it! The slightly spicy garlic powder balanced the sweetness of the apples and carrots.

While a few students politely put down their fork, most of them gobbled it up — and several came up for seconds. One boy grinned as he held out his bowl: “Please give me more apples! They’re my favorite!”
 

by Deanna Michalopolous

I was a little wary about this week’s explorer lesson in lettuce. Even though I believe salads are anything but boring — I fulfilled a craving for an Asian chicken salad in the middle of writing this post — I wasn’t sure how enthralled the students would be by a single leaf of lettuce. But, as I’m learning, kids surprise you. 

When I first got to class, Miss P. introduced the ingredient by reading a letter from a New York farmer who grows lettuce on her land. Ms. P. also reminded the students that lettuce was a mealtime fave of the classroom’s two guinea pigs, Oreo and Furball. As if CookShop arranged for this to happen, the two moppy-haired pets started rattling around their cages on cue, which delighted the children and set an energetic tone for the rest of the lesson.

“What kind of toppings do you put on your lettuce at home?” asked Miss P. More than a dozen hands shot into the air. A lot of the kids repeated tomatoes and carrots, but one boy talked about croutons and ranch dressing (yum) while another one even suggested cheese and dried cranberries (how sophisticated!).

Then Miss P. split up the students in two groups, and I sat down with mine to explore three different heads of lettuce: iceberg, red leaf and romaine. First I asked them to name each type (they had just learned them in the reading session) and describe each one as I tore off leaves to hand out. Iceberg lettuce felt “smooth,” “yellow like an egg inside” and “cold like a penguin.” Red leaf was “curly” and “purple.” Romaine was “long” and … “it smells like a watermelon!” I paused to take a whiff and have to admit the kid had cred: It actually smelled like watermelon.

At this point, they were getting antsy and begging to bite into the leaves. Some had folded them into long lettuce pouches they dubbed “burritos.” Finally, we ran out of words to describe how the green stuff looked, smelled, felt and sounded, and the only thing left to do was countdown. “One … two … three … TASTE!” They were gobbling up the raw lettuce leaves like rabbits and requesting thirds and fourths. I could barely tear off the leaves at the rate they were asking for more.

By the time we were finished, there were lettuce shreds everywhere — on their chairs, on the floor, even on their heads! I glanced at Miss P’s table, where her group was peacefully munching with the platter of lettuce heads still neatly intact. Well, I may not have the authority of a teacher, but I do have tricks up my sleeve: To get the kids to clean up, I told them to gather all the littered lettuce shreds to feed to the guinea pigs.

by Deanna Michalopolous

On my first day as a CookShop volunteer, I’m glad to see kindergarten rooms haven't changed too much since '89. The walls are still bedecked with construction paper and alphabet posters. Still, I'm a bit intimidated by the 25 curious children peering up at me.

“One, two three, all eyes on me!” says the teacher, Miss P., to get the students’ attention. “1-2, all eyes on you!” the students chime back. I file that technique away for future use.

I'm there to assist Miss P. with a Carrot Chef lesson. The previous week, during the Carrot Explorer lesson, the kids learned how carrots grow and about their nutritional value. This week, the kids will learn to cook healthy Glazed Carrots from scratch.

I start slicing bundles of fresh carrots into narrow sticks that will be easier for the students to chop with their plastic knives. Half the students join Miss P. around the cooking table to dice the carrot sticks and toss the pieces into a silver bowl.

Meanwhile, the other group shows me the kidney bean plants they had planted the week before in small plastic cups. The students eyed each other’s cups with pride or envy, noting which cups had big bright green, six-inch stalks, already producing a bean or two, and whose were eking out an inch-high stem. We talk about the roots that are wrapping their way around the bottom of the cup. I ask the children to describe what made their plants grow, and their answers are spot on: Sun! Water! Fresh air! I went to my family’s garden in Bangladesh! I saw plants in Nashville! (Wait, what?)

“One, two three, all eyes on me!” Miss P. rotates the groups, and I scramble to pass out the rest of the plastic cups of carrot slices.

Now a group of students is helping Miss P. pour water, orange juice, honey, balsamic vinegar and a bit of salt into the big bowl. A few students are charged with mixing it all so the carrots are coated evenly. Then the children return to their seats as Ms. P. and I make the final preparations. The balsamic vinegar sends off a pungent odor, but the students don’t seem put off. They’re eager to taste what they just made…and it’s just about ready.

Students come up five at a time for a scoop of the carrots, but no one digs in yet: it’s a CookShop Classroom tradition that no one tastes until everyone has a share. Finally, everyone has a bowl in front of them. Then it’s “one…two…three…TASTE!”

Approving mmm’s echo across the room. Even Miss P. and I nod favorably to one another — the carrots are good! They balance the right amount of sweet with a slight kick from the balsamic vinegar. Soon all of the students are coming up for seconds, and one girl is chided for sneaking in for thirds. Miss P. tells the students that their parents can find the recipe online. One happy boy shouts, “Good, I was going to ask you about that!”

[Food Bank For New York City is very excited to introduce Bank on It readers to our new guest blogger, Deanna Michalopolous. A freelance writer focusing on health and nutrition, Deanna is currently a volunteer with our CookShop Classroom program, helping to educate children in a Brooklyn kindergarten class about, and helping them enjoy and appreciate, healthy food and diets. Deanna will be contributing a post for every week of her tenure as a teacher's assistant for CookShop Classroom — so enjoy her first post, below, and stay tuned for more!]

by Deanna Michalopolous

One morning a few years ago, I was distracted on a crowded subway by the sight of a six-year-old boy eating his breakfast — a bag of Cheetos and a 20-oz of Pepsi.

The sight was upsetting, reminding me that ours is a city where nearly half of elementary schoolchildren are at unhealthy weights, and where three million residents live in neighborhoods with limited food access and high rates of both poverty and diet-related disease. So when I heard about CookShop, a Food Bank program that uses hands-on exploration and cooking activities in over 700 public school classrooms citywide to encourage children and adults to eat and enjoy healthy, affordable foods, I signed up to volunteer immediately.

The CookShop Classroom component for elementary school students offers a 19-week curriculum that explores a variety of fresh ingredients, including apples, wheat, beans, collard greens, carrots, lettuce and broccoli and cauliflower. Led by public school teachers who have received special training from the Food Bank, students are first introduced to the ingredient by seeing, touching, smelling, hearing and tasting it raw. Then they put on their chef hats (figuratively, of course, though that would be adorable) and help prepare a tasty dish using the ingredient. All volunteers are trained in food safety and preparing techniques, and assist the teachers in running the lessons.

For volunteers, CookShop is a chance to step off the soapbox and join a tangible effort to expose kids to good-for-you grub. And lest you think my soap box was too high from the start, let me share my humble dietary beginnings.

Growing up, I sucked down Little Debbie snack packs and McDonald’s Big Mac meals. I was very tall and sporty, so the daily, two-hour basketball practices turned extra weight into muscle — a perk that quit as soon as I was no longer a three-sport athlete. Years later, when I started working for a health magazine, I started paying attention to what I shoveled in my mouth and how it made me feel afterward. Sticking to fresh meals with protein and veggies helped boost my energy, but it took a mental mallet to break some of my unhealthy habits. Better late than never, but it’s much easier later when you start eating better earlier.

That’s why CookShop is a good initiative: It gives kids a chance to connect tasty, healthy foods with fun times, rather than making eating well a dreary chore.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing dispatches from the classroom where I volunteered this year. I hope you’ll keep up with my CookShop adventures!

by Daniel Buckley

I am always really pleased when a supporter uses their skills and creativity to find a new way to help the Food Bank and the New Yorkers we serve. And recently, foodie, filmmaker and longtime Food Bank supporter Tamra Davis came up with the most fun project I’ve seen yet.

After attending the Food Bank’s Can-Do Awards Dinner for the past few years, Tamra decided she wanted to get her hands dirty and connect directly with hungry New Yorkers. A cookbook author and host of an online cooking show, Tamra wanted to get food pantry clients at our Community Kitchen excited about the options we offer and give them ideas for healthy and quick recipes.

I surely can’t think of a better way to do this than going to our food pantry, picking pantry items off the shelf, giving a cooking lesson right then and there and sharing the finished meals and snacks as they come off the oven and out of the stove.

But Tamra took it one step further — by making her lessons into an episode of the Tamra Davis Cooking Show. Watch Tamra’s video below, and don’t forget to visit tamradaviscookingshow.com for the recipes, her cookbook and more!